Lost Cause Diaries 1: Violet Moves Away
by HPDrummerman
Summary: Violet once said she would love to get away from everybody, ESPECIALLY EVERYBODY! She finally gets her wish after her father receives a promotion and has to move to California. She figures she would become one of the cool kids once there but discovers that the kids in Los Angeles is much different than the Sparkyville gang.
1. Chapter 1

Lost Cause Diaries #1: Violet Moves Away

**CHAPTER 1: "ESPECIALLY EVERYBODY!"**

Violet Gray had once said that her town was boring and that she wanted to move away and get away from everybody. She had a disdain for most of the kids in town, with the exceptions of two kids, her best friend Patty Swanson, and the only boy she actually considered a friend, Shermy Wilson. The other kids she barely tolerated. She was friendlier to pretty girl Frieda Rich, but that was because she was well-liked by everyone. She halfway dealt with most others. She avoided Pig Pen, the dirtiest kid in town, like the plague, but in her defense, so did everyone else. She had a rivalry with Lucy Van Pelt, the only kid who could give Violet a run for her money when it came to being mean. But the kid she harbored the most hatred for was one Charles Brown, or Charlie Brown as they called him. He was one of the nicest boys in town, and yet, he was treated with such disdain. Was it because he was so clumsy? Was it because he couldn't win at anything, no matter how hard he tried? Or was it that he was so wishy-washy? For Violet, it was all of the above, and then some. But other than that, she really had no reason to hate the poor kid. Even Lucy, who teased Charlie Brown probably worse than Violet herself, was willing to hang out with him, even if it was for her own amusement. Violet wouldn't even do that. So why did a girl carry so much hatred in her heart like it was a normal thing. Maybe she was longing for something herself.

There was one person in Violet's life that didn't tolerate her rude and snobbish behavior. It was her mother, Kathleen Gray. She wondered how her daughter became such a wicked brat to her peers and not even had a shred of remorse to hurting them. Outside of Patty and Shermy, she was cruel to almost everyone, especially Charlie Brown, whose mother, Maureen, Kathleen was best friends with. That made Violet sick to her stomach. Her own mother best friends with the mother of the boy she hated more than anything in the world. She pretty much tolerated it, and even played nice when Maureen came over. Violet would greet her and be cordial to her, maybe be even nicer to her than her own son. Violet figured it wasn't her fault that she gave birth to the blandest, stupid, wishy-washy boy on the face of the earth. Neither she nor Kathleen made it known that Violet hated Maureen's son's guts.

One day, Violet's father, Grant, came home from his job at Ace Engineering, with exciting news. "Kat, Violet, come on out!" he said, loudly. "I have great news!"

His wife and daughter came out from where they were. "What is it, Grant?" asked Kathleen.

"I just got a promotion from my job!" he said with a big smile. "I've been made Vice President of my department!"

"That's great, daddy!" said Violet. Of the two parents, she got along with her father the best, and she often doted on him to her peers and often talked about how better he was than their dads, especially a certain round-headed boy.

"Congratulations, darling!" said a happy Kathleen, who embraced her husband.

"Well there is a bit of a catch to this promotion," Grant continued.

"What catch is that?" asked Kathleen.

"We would have to move to California," said Grant. "I said I'd discuss it with my family before I committed to being V.P. for them."

"California?" said Violet. "I can finally leave this forsaken place! Take it, daddy!"

"Hold on, Violet," said Kathleen. "We haven't decided on leaving quite yet."

"Come on, mom!" Violet whined. "I can't stand it here! Outside of Patty and Shermy, I can't stand the kids here, either. They're so immature. Especially…"

"Don't you dare!" warned Kathleen. "You leave that poor boy alone! You've done enough to him to make him miserable. If we do move, I will apologize to him even if you won't for your behavior towards him over the years."

"Mother, you wouldn't?!"

"Try me!"

"Now calm down, ladies," said Grant. "Let's decide. Do we stay in Sparkyville? Or do we head out west?"

"I say California, here we come!" said an excited Violet.

"Well, I would like to be in a warmer climate," said Kathleen. "Okay, but we must take care of loose ends before we leave."

"Of course, dear," said Grant. "I'll let the bosses know my decision. Right now, we go out to eat!" And the family got ready to head out for dinner to celebrate.

**NEXT CHAPTER: "WE'RE HAVING A GOING AWAY PARTY, BUT WE **_**ARE**_** INVITING CHARLIE BROWN!"**


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2: GOOD LUCK, GRAY'S**

The next week, everyone showed up at a going-away party held for the Gray's. Everyone who was friends/acquaintances of the Gray family were there, including the Browns. While Silas and Maureen were good with going to the party, their children, Sally, and especially Charlie Brown, were not so pleased. Sally because, while Violet never teased her like her brother, didn't know Violet that well or even hung out with her that much. Charlie Brown was apprehensive for obvious reasons. To her, he was her enemy, and he never knew why. But once and for all, he was going to get answers to why she treated him like she did, besides the ones she's given him before.

At the party, The Grays were very inviting and thankful to the people they knew. Violet, for her part, was cordial, even to those she couldn't stand, to placate her parents. The kids had completed 5th grade and were about to go into 6th grade for the next year. So the timing was perfect for Grant to get his promotion. And Violet couldn't wait to leave Sparkyville once and for all. Of all the people she knew, the only one's she'd miss, outside of family, would be Shermy and her best friend Patty. But one kid was wanting answers from her.

Charlie Brown approached Violet, and tapped her on the shoulder. "Violet?"

She looked over and to her annoyance, stood Charlie Brown. "Go away, Failure Face," she whispered. "You, of all people, should be happy I'm leaving. Our paths never have to cross again. It's a win for both of us, albeit for different reasons."

"That's what I want to talk to you about," said Charlie Brown, not mincing words. "We need to bury the hatchet, once and for all. Settle this bad blood that's been between us for no reason other than 'you hate me' and all."

"Okay sure," sighed Violet. And the two went somewhere so they could finally hash out their differences once and for all.

"All right, Charlie Brown, what is SO important you had to pry me away from our 'going away' party?!" asked an impatient Violet.

"Well, for all these years I know the reasons why you hated me," Charlie Brown began. "You've told me over and over that I know it by heart. All the excluded parties, except this one and the Halloween party you once held that I was invited to somehow, the belittling, the emasculating, the hat-filled words, name-calling, and just all-around mean attitude. And THAT was when you were being nice. And like I said, I know why you hate me. But all I want to know is what have I done, beside my mere existence, have I done to you to deserve your hatred so much. With you leaving, you at least owe me this explanation. What have I done to receive your ire, Violet?"

Violet had never gave a thought to what he could have done. She even forgot how it all began in the first place. There was a secret she HAD been hiding, but she never revealed it to anyone, not even Patty. Years ago when they first met, she had an innocent crush on the blockhead. She even liked him in the beginning. Maybe it was when "she" moved to the neighborhood and Charlie Brown started pining for "her". The Chrism Goddess. The little red-haired girl. But even before "she" entered the picture, she started being meaner towards him. Maybe it was a way to keep him in check that went awry. Maybe she couldn't admit her crush to herself and used being mean to him as a defense mechanism.

"Well?" said Charlie Brown.

Violet stood quiet. For once, she was at a loss for words. Charlie Brown sighed. "You don't have an answer, do you?" he finally said. "Good luck in California, Violet." And he left and rejoined the party.

Violet stood quiet. Why HAD she hated Charlie Brown for so long? What DID he do to earn her total hatred? All of these questions she had no answer for. Had she looked to Lucy for advice, she would simply had said "He's a blockhead.", but it ran deeper than that excuse. Did she still have a long-dormant crush on him? Was it that she was so mean to him, yet still harbored feelings for him deep down? She couldn't think about that right now. She put it on the back burner for now and went back to the party.

When Linus, Lucy's brother and Charlie Brown's best friend, saw Charlie coming back, he asked, "What did you talk to Violet about, Charlie Brown?"

"Trying to get some answers, Linus," said Charlie Brown, "but, predictably, never getting any. Violet will just continue to hate. A girl with no love in her heart for anyone but herself. What's sad is that she used to not be like that. It's different from your sister, who was born pure evil. Violet still has some of that old nice girl in her. It's like she's afraid to let her out. I hope she doesn't become cold as ice, or I pray for the kids in California."

"From what I heard, California kids, especially rich ones, are just as snobby," said Linus. "She might just fit in well out there."

"You may be right, Linus," said Charlie Brown. "You may just be right." And the two boys were then joined by Peppermint Patty and Marcie, who discussed the upcoming baseball season. For Violet, she had a lot to think about.

**NEXT CHAPTER: HEADING WEST**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3: CALIFORNIA-BOUND**

The Grays had found an apartment in California that was big enough for a small family like them. They sent their furniture and vehicles out west before they left so that all would get to the apartment at the same time. Violet said her goodbyes to all of her friends and acquaintances. One that was missing was Charlie Brown, who figured she wouldn't want him there to begin with. She took notice.

"Where's Charlie Brown?" she asked.

"Oh, he left for camp yesterday," said Sally. "He told me to tell you to have a safe trip to California and good luck out there."

Violet was dejected. She at least hoped to finally make peace with him after all of this time. But she had to go and couldn't dwell on it. So after a final farewell, the Grays were on their way to California.

The trip on the plane took a long time, but once they were there, Violet was in awe of the place. Never would she thought she'd see a palm tree, let alone, many. The weather was nice, as well. A cab took them to their apartment in a suburb of Los Angeles. It was a nice large apartment with a nice view of the California coastal mountains. The place had a rooftop swimming pool, nice for those really hot days. Also there was a workout room for the residents and their guests. Their furniture had arrived on time and the movers started unpacking the stuff and helping in putting it all together.

Once the furniture and belongings were set, the Grays settled in and relaxed. Violet could not believe that she was where the movie stars were. It was a world away from Sparkyville. While she would miss some people like Patty in particular, she couldn't wait to make new friends, as well. She figured the kids would be more like her and no Lucy Van Pelts or especially Charlie Browns, or very few of them. She was ready for a fresh start.

Back in Sparkyville, Linus was on the phone with Charlie Brown, who was at camp. They were discussing Violet's leaving.

"So she's finally gone, eh, Linus?" said Charlie Brown.

"Yep," said Linus. "Violet is now in California. We still have Lucy, though. So no rest for us."

"Well, at least in my case, it's one less person going after me," said Charlie Brown. "What I don't understand is why she was like that towards me. I mean I know I screwed up plenty of times, but so did everyone else. Like I said, your sister is evil-incarnate, but Violet was once a sweet girl. Well, here's hoping she happier in California."

"We can only hope," said Linus.

All of the sudden, Linus heard, "LINUS! GET OFF THE DAMN PHONE! I NEED TO CALL FRIEDA ABOUT FINDING ME A SWIMSUIT THAT FITS AND FLATTERS!"

"Speaking of the evil one," said Linus.

"You better do as she says, Linus," said Charlie Brown.

"Okay, I'll call you tomorrow," said Linus. "See ya, Charlie Brown." And he hung up. Lucy lumbered into the kitchen where Linus was. She had put on a substantial amount of weight for an eleven year old. She weighed in at about 240 pounds. Her stomach hung down passed her shirt as it didn't fit properly anymore.

"Who were you on the phone with?" she asked.

"Just Charlie Brown," said Linus. "Talking about Violet."

"Good riddance to that prissy little snot," sneered Lucy. "I need to call Frieda about swimsuit shopping. Looking for a swimsuit that will fit me. Want to look good for the summer."

"Try losing weight," Linus thought to himself. He wasn't going to dare say that to her face. Finally he told Lucy, "I'm all done with the phone. It's all yours."

"Thank you," said Lucy, as she dialed Frieda's number. Once Frieda answered she said, "Frieda it's Lucy. We need to go to the mall like yesterday! I need a new bathing suit. Of course one that fits! Good grief! Meet me at my house in an hour. My mom promised to take us. Okay, I'll see you later."

**NEXT CHAPTER: RUDE AWAKENING**


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4: VIOLET'S FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL (IN CALIFORNIA)**

_**A couple of months later…**_

The first day of school had arrived for Violet. She was starting 6th grade and she was ready to make a good impression on the kids there. If she could bring the kids of Sparkyville down to their knees, she could do the same to the LA crowd. Or so she thought. When her father dropped her off at school, she walked in with her head held high and ready for the kids to welcome her. What she got was anything but.

Once she entered the hallow halls of the new school, not only did the kids not acknowledge her, they walked past her, bumping her out of the way. She got ignored when asking where her class was. No one even batted an eye at her. It took the school secretary to show her where her class was. Once she got there and found her desk, she waited for the teacher to come in. Her teacher's name was Mr. Frye. Once Mr. Frye came in, she was amazed at how handsome the teacher looked. He got down to business immediately.

"Hello 6th graders," he greeted. "I am Mr. Frye. I will be your teacher this year and I will tell you I suffer no fools in this class. There is to be no talking unless I call on you. No questions unless you raise your hand, AND if that question is not if you can go to the little boys or girls room during lessons. Plus all questions MUST be about the lesson that I am teaching at that time. No chewing gum in my class, though to be fair that IS a school-wide rule and not just my own rule, but I will strictly enforce it. All homework must be turned in on time. If not, you will get an automatic F and after school detention. If you are sick that day, I will make an exception provided your parents called the school ahead of time. If you do get sick while in school, I will take the necessary measures to get you the help you need with the school nurse. Anyone caught passing notes, receiving notes, or writing notes and it's NOT of the lesson I'm giving will also serve after school detention. Now is there any questions about my rules?" The students remained silent. "Good. Now then, when I call roll, you answer your name."

Violet was nervous. How could she be stuck in the class of Attila the Hun? She made sure she stayed on Mr. Frye's good side. When he called out her name she said "Present."

"No, 'presents' is what you get on Christmas, birthdays, or Bar Mitzvahs, Ms. Gray," Mr. Frye retorted. "When I call your name, you say 'hear', got it?"

"Yes, sir," said Violet looking down. The class giggled a bit.

"Let's try it again," said Mr. Frye. "Violet Gray?"

"Here," said Violet.

"Well done, Ms. Gray," said Mr. Frye with a slight smile. He continued with roll call. Violet breathed a sigh of relief. She was going to have to work hard to stay on Mr. Frye's good side.

Later at lunch, Violet looked for a spot to eat. She saw some really cool-looking kids chatting and having a good time. She smiled. Finally she found some kids who seemed like her, or so she thought. When she sat down next to them, they gave her a funny look. The same kind of look she used to give someone like Charlie Brown if he sat next to her.

"Uh, are you lost, girlie?" said a girl with blonde hair and wearing some of the latest clothes.

"I was wondering if I could join you guys," said Violet. "You all look so cool."

"Well, you are right, we are cool," the girl said. "You must be the new girl. And because you're new, we'll give you the lay of the land. By the way, what's your name?"

"Violet."

"Well, Violet, my name is Angie Monroe, and these are my friends. This is OUR table. And unless one of us personally invite you, NO OUTSIDERS will sit at this table. Especially when dressed like that! Side Saddle shoes?! Who still wears those?!" Angie's friends snickered. "And what is with that dress you're wearing?! Are you, like, stuck in the 50s or something? Get with it, Violet. No one wears these rags anymore! God, you're so nerdy!" And the kids continue to laugh. Violet could not believe it. She was being treated like a loser.

"But if you're looking for a place to sit, Violet, dear," Angie finished, "you could try the nose-pickers table, or the goth kids table, or even the weirdo table. Not even the unpopular kids sit there! But my point is, ANY OTHER TABLE but here. We own this table, baby! Now get lost. Your presence is ruining my good vibes." And Violet slowly walked away to an empty table with Angie's crew laughing away. Violet was not winning any friends. She was being treated like she treated others back in Sparkyville. Quite possibly for the first time, she was getting a dose of her own medicine. She ate alone, lunch now cold. She had become the one person she hated: Charlie Brown.

After school, Violet went to her room and slammed the door shut. Her parents wondered what was wrong. They went inside to find out what had happened at school.

"Honey," said Grant, "what's the matter?"

"I had a bad day at school, daddy!" wept Violet. "All of the kids teased me because of my clothes, my teacher hates me, and there's this awful girl named Angie Monroe. She's so mean she makes 'Mommy Dearest' look like Mary Poppins! Why she as mean as… as…"

"As you?" said Kathleen, finishing her daughter's sentence.

"No, never!" Violet began to say.

"Oh, it sounds like you to a tee, Violet," said Kathleen.

"What are you talking about, Kat?" asked Grant.

"Don't you see, Grant?" asked Kathleen. "Our daughter had been so mean to the other kids back in Sparkyville, especially that poor Charlie, Silas and Maureen's boy, but when the tables are turned, she's in tears all ready. She can dish it out, but she can't take it."

"That's pretty harsh, dear," said a concerned Grant.

"You're right, it is harsh," agreed Kathleen. "And it's just what our daughter deserves. Some comeuppance for once. We'll leave you, Violet, but maybe this will make you think about how you treat others." And her parents left her in her room to think about what she has done to her schoolmates back in Sparkyville. She had it good there, there was no doubt, bit in California, things were different. She was the social outcast, the failure, the one to ridicule, just like she had towards Charlie Brown and the others. For the first time, she was realizing the ramifications of her actions. While she hated what her mother said about her, she knew she was right, as well. And that is what hurt her the most. She was mean and it may have cost her lasting relationships back home, with the lone exception of Patty, and maybe Shermy. And possibly, for the first time in a long time, she was examining her deep rooted feelings for Charlie Brown. On the surface she had hated him, but deep down, that hatred masked a dormant crush she had for the round-headed boy. She couldn't admit to herself that she still had feelings for him, but the events at school reawaken those long-dormant feelings she once had for him. Why did she act so cruel to him? Was it the "it" thing to do? Was it to keep him in check? She now knew she handled the Charlie Brown situation wrong, and now he may never want anything to do with her ever. And that also went for the rest of the kids back home, as well.

Violet ate very little dinner that night. And after she got ready for bed, she decided to say a prayer. "Lord, please forgive me for acting like a spoiled insufferable brat. And please have mom and daddy forgive me as well. And, if you can, somehow, let Charlie Brown know that I am sorry for how I treated him, and that I really did like him. In fact, I.. I loved him. I hope he can forgive me one day. Amen." And she went to bed and went to sleep. Unbeknownst to her, Kathleen was watching. And she smiled.

"I've finally reached her."

**THE END OF #1**

_**NEXT TIME, #2: THE LAST BALLGAME**_


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